Makorra Week 2013
by Objective Mistress
Summary: A very creative name for my collection of Makorra Week 2013 Prompts
1. Masquerade

**Rating:** K+

**Word count:** ~1100

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Masquerade." Sometimes the masks worn aren't a physical addition to the body. They are brave faces and facades that need to be washed off at the end of the day.

**Author Note:** This was going to be super angsty, but I thought Makorra Week should start off with a celebration of their relationship. Enjoy!

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Korra stepped through the apartment threshold calmly, and hung her coat up neatly on the rack next to Mako's uniform jacket.

Red flag number one.

She always flung her jacket wherever she pleased. No matter if she was tired or elated, her outerwear never ended up where it belonged.

Carefully, she removed her snow sodden boots and placed them on the drying mat and lined them up next to his.

Red flag number two.

She always kicked her boots off haphazardly; dirty street-water pooling on the floor.

Korra was late this evening, and more so that usual. Difficulties with spirit integration had sprung up again over human exploitation of Spirit World resources. Negotiations were hitting a fever pitch, and the Avatar was of course right in the middle of it. Somehow, he escaped the extra security shifts that much of the forced was burdened with, and continued with his normal homicide detective duties.

"Hey sweetie," Mako smiled at his girlfriend of three years. "I made dinner and left it on simmer for you. Want me to dish some out for you?"

"No, I'm not hungry."

Red flag number three.

She was always hungry. He had watched her devour a full serving of blubbered seal jerky after a full meal. And she absolutely adored his cooking. Not that she had much of a decision anyway; he only trusted her with cooking that involved meat over an open flame as other methods proved borderline disastrous for their living space.

She started off towards their bedroom, "I'm going to get changed."

"Are you sure I can't make you something?" He turned around on the couch and watched her disappear into the dark room.

"No, but thank you."

Red flag number four.

Korra's tone of voice was utterly diplomatic and level. Nowhere was her quickness to anger to vent the frustrations she surely had from the day.

Mako sighed and placed his paperwork aside. He rolled his neck and relaxed his shoulders. She never hid her emotions from him; most of the time she couldn't. In many ways she was just like that seventeen-year-old girl who came to Republic City with her heart on her sleeve.

Being the first Avatar of the new era weighed heavily on her shoulders each day and it took its toll. Some days there were bags under her eyes. Others brought muscle strains and deep bloody gashes that she refused to have checked out by professional healers. And some nights, there was this; suffering in silence that she refused to break herself.

"Korra?" Mako stepped quietly through the threshold.

He watched her methodically remove her clothing down to her bindings, and fold her usual Water Tribe garb neatly. She dropped down to the edge of the bed. Her hands were folded in her lap with eyes cast downward into the darkness of the room.

Without hesitation he sat down next to her and kissed her shoulder. When she got like this, it was up to him to remove the mask from her and allow her to relax.

"Let me sit behind you," he mumbled into her skin.

Korra nodded mutely and allowed him to kneel behind her on the bed.

He kissed the back of her neck and rubbed his thumbs in soothing circles over her shoulders. Mako was no expert, but years of injuries and pro bending strains gave him a bit of experience rubbing out muscle knots. He loved treating her like this; watching her melt into the bed and moan in pleasure was plenty a reward.

Slowly but surely, he moved his practiced hands over her muscled back. And slowly but surely, she began to relax into his hands. He pulled out her wolf tails, allowing her hair to flow freely down her back.

"Lie down and I can do a better job."

She followed his instructions and flopped on to the bed facedown.

Mako started again, but started just where her bindings stopped and worked his way up her spine. Even like this, he was gorgeous. The fact that she was his was still unbelievable to him. She was extraordinary, and he was…just him.

"Do you want do tell me what's wrong?" He switched his motions to a light caress, just ghosting over her skin.

"Everyone is crazy." The pillow muffled her voice as she spoke. "No one will budge from what _they_ want in the negotiations."

He pulled back the covers and motioned her under before curling up beside her.

"And they need an _Avatar_ to lead the negotiations. They need someone who can mediate and someone who is confident," Korra's voice began to crack and he could see tears beginning to spring up in the corners of her eyes. "And how am I supposed to do all that when _I'm_ not even sure if I made the right decision leaving the portals open?"

"Hey come here," he pulled her close and whispered sweet nothings into her hair.

"And I have to pretend to be all that in front of everybody…it's like I leave and I put on a mask every day."

"Well…"

Sometimes he felt the best he could do for her was just to hold her close. He didn't always know what to say to fix whatever was wrong.

"You've made so many other threats seem like nothing. Look at me," Mako tipped her tear-laden face up. "You'll get through this just like you have everything else. You have everything you need to figure this out."

They kissed. He tried to pour everything he felt about her into the movement of his lips. How he loved her so much and how he admired her for being the most brave and amazing person he had met. Mako cupped her face and caressed down to her neck.

"Thank you," her voice was a whisper, their foreheads pressed together.

"Always."


	2. Lyrical

**Rating:** T

**Word Count:** ~600

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Lyrical." Mako wakes up to an absent Korra.

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"Korra?" He tiptoed down the halls of Air Temple Island.

With Tenzin and Pema stuck in the South Pole for a few nights, Mako and Korra were reluctantly roped into keeping an eye on the children for the duration of the trip. What resulted was a weekend full of running after Ikki and Meelo as they darted around on air scooters, keeping the now two-year-old Rohan satisfied, and dealing with Jinora and her now teenage tendencies.

Although he and Korra lived in the city now, she still kept her quarters in the dormitories. After a very long day of baby-sitting, they collapsed into the small bed together in a tangled mas of limbs.

"Korra?" Mako whispered again. He woke up in the middle of the night to find her side of the bed empty, and only slightly warm from her presence.

_She must be with one of the kids_.

He crept down the hall towards Jinora's room where the faint signs of light slipped beneath the door. Careful not to make a sound he pushed the door open.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Mako smirked. The teenager was reading beneath the covers of her bed.

"Shouldn't you knock?" Jinora crossed her arms.

The firebender could make out a bare-chested man on the cover of the book. "What are you reading?"

"None of you business!" She pulled the covers over the book. Even in the low light he could see that she was blushing.

"If you go to sleep now, I'll drop it."

"Deal."

The light in the eldest airbender clicked off as he walked down the hall. A brief look-in on Ikki and Meelo yielded nothing out of the ordinary.

Down the hall he could just make out the sound of a voice. He crept along on tiptoe towards Rohan's room. It sounded like…singing emanated from behind the thin wall.

Mako pushed the sliding door to the side so it was just cracked and he peered through the gap.

It was Korra, leaning over the high-sided bed of Rohan singing. The firebender couldn't help but smile. She stroked his hair and sung the ancient-sounding melody quietly, but supported. The contours up and down of the line caused the toddler's eyes to flutter shut and slow his breathing into pleasant sleep.

He watched the Avatar smile triumphantly before backing up slowly from the young boy and back out the door.

"I didn't know you could sing," Mako put a hand on her shoulder.

She leapt out of fright, a ball of fire gathering in her hand. "Spirits Mako!" Korra hissed and quickly extinguished the flame in her hand. "You can't just sneak up on me like that! I would have burned you right into the Spirit World!"

"Sorry!" He whispered, and kissed the top of her head.

One of his hands found the small of her back and they walked down the hall together. Together they slid under the covers and Korra rested her head on his shoulder.

"You still never told me you could sing," he pulled the covers up around them.

"Everyone in the Southern Water Tribe sings," she shrugged.

"You know," Mako propped himself up on an elbow, "you should sing for me. Right now."

She smirked, "In your dreams, City Boy."


	3. Winter

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** ~500

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Winter." Mako always hated the winter, and cold it brought with it. But with any luck, Korra will get a chance to change his mind.

**Author Note:** So this one is going to be one of the shorter ones of the week, and maybe not one of my better ones.

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"I know you don't like it here," Korra came up behind him softly.

Somehow he didn't hear the steady crunch of snow beneath her footfalls as she approached.

"That's not true…" Mako accepted her hand in his. "It's not _here_, I'm just not a cold weather person."

"So there is a bit of Fire Nation in you after all, from the guy that hates spicy food," she teased, sending a wink in his direction.

He shot her a half smile, before letting his gaze drift back down to the snow at his feet.

"You know why."

Korra pulled him into a hug in acknowledgement. The winter reminded him of struggle. The struggles to stay warm (even as a firebender), find food, find shelter, and somehow manage to protect and do all the same for his brother.

"You never even really played in the snow then, did you?" She pulled back, her arms still around him.

"Ummm…not really."

Suddenly, her face lit up with a concerning grin. It was the sort of smile that made him nervous and giddy at the same time. It meant she was up to something and had a plan that he would surely be wrapped up in. She was always so full of surprises, and he loved her more for it.

Korra whistled loudly, hailing her polar bear dog companion to the couple quickly. "Get on."

Long ago he learned to question her less, and simply trust her more.

"Where exactly are we going? He wasted no time wrapping his arms around her waist.

Mako could remember that first ride through the city. He was too shy to touch her back excessively and instead leaned awkwardly back and held on to the back of the saddle. Warmth radiated from her form where he pressed up against her that bit back against the bitter cold wind that assailed then as they rode quickly forward.

"You'll see!" Korra had to yell over her shoulder to make her voice audible in the wind.

They rode closer to the shore and up an embankment. He tried to ignore the tingling cold that crept at the fringes of his toes and numbed his cheeks. But he pushed on, knowing that he was doing this for her. For him, this was truly enough.

The Avatar pulled on the reigns abruptly, bringing Naga to a sliding stop. "We're here!"

"Otter penguins?" He took a quick look around before looking back at his smiling girlfriend.

"You'll need one of these," she pulled out a skin bag of dried fish and held one out to him before tossing one into Naga.

"For what?" 

"For this!"

With a childish squeal she ran off toward the huddle of penguins. Mako couldn't help but smile; although a very mature Avatar, some things never changed.

Maybe since he learned to love her, he could learn to love the season that defined her.


	4. Holiday

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** ~1100

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Holiday." It is the day Spring Remembrance, a traditional holiday, and Korra celebrates with Mako for the first time.

**Author Note: **I really could have done this for tomorrow's prompt, but I really wanted to do it for this one for some odd reason. Based off a real holiday, more after the fic!

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"You don't have to come with me," Mako slung the bag of supplies over his shoulder. "Bolin and I have done this on our own just fine."

"But Bolin isn't here this year," she followed him out of his apartment. "I know you're mad he's missing it for the mover shoot, but you know he would be here if he could."

"He _could_ be here, but he isn't."

"Mako…"

Korra didn't know how to handle him these days. After they broke up, remaining friends was an uphill battle riddled with pitfalls and accidents waiting to happen. She meant what she said a few months back; she loved him and she always would. For now, what mattered was that she cared about him.

"Are we going to walk or hail a Satocab?"

"Bolin and I always walked as kids."

She stayed at his side as he walked across the city. The streets were unusually quiet as many shops were closed in observance of the holiday. Many had travelled back to their ancestral homes outside of the metropolis to pay their respects to those that came before them.

Korra remembered celebrating at home. The elders would bend the snow from the earthen graves. The tendency of the world seemed to be to cover and forget the past. Remembering and passing on history was a fight against entropy.

"My parents were immigrants to the city." He spoke more to the wind than her, his inner dialogue taking an audible form. "They were looking for opportunity, and they met each other."

They walked to the old quarter of the city. The buildings here were shorter than the newer high rises that seemed to stretch higher to the sky each day. Though not very comparatively old, they had a sort of rustic character in the urban forest that was Republic City.

"We weren't rich, but we were comfortable," Mako tightened the scarf closer around his neck.

She was content to listen.

"My dad worked…I can't remember what he did," his voice cracked. "But my mom stayed home with Bolin and me."

Korra desperately wanted to help. She wanted to hold his hand, fingers interlocked. She wanted to pull him into a hug and mumble that everything would be okay into his strong chest. She wanted to kiss him and drag him off to make him forget if only for a while.

Instead all she could do was walk alongside him.

"I-I think we were happy…but I don't know if that was real or I just remember it being so much better than living on the streets after."

They were just at the outskirts of the city when Mako pushed through a small iron gate. The cemetery was small, and there were a few others celebrating Spring Remembrance. Korra followed him silently up to a moderately small sized tombstone. There were some overgrown weeds around the headstone, but the gray rock was crisply inscribed with the names of his parents and death dates, nothing more.

"It looks pretty new," she put a hand on his shoulder. "You and Bolin must have taken great care of it over years."

"Well it is pretty new," he busied himself rummaging through his bag. "I-I don't even know what happened to their bodies after…we didn't have any money to pay for a funeral or grave or anything and Bolin and I were already trying to survive on the streets. So as soon as we won a bit in pro bending, we bought this. It's not much-"

"It's plenty."

He looked up at her from his crouched position. Their eyes met for the first time since the beginning of the trek. Korra got lost in his gaze. There was so much sadness and pain from memories no child should ever have to experience. As poor and isolated as her childhood was, she was safe, and surrounded by some that cared greatly about her. He had nothing.

"How can I help?"

"Let's pull the weeds out."

Together, they knelt down and gently pulled each overgrown weed out, and placed them in a can that others had discarded similar waste. She could have air bended all the dirt and grime away, but some things were better done by hand. The two worked in a silence that shifted between comfortable and awkward. A brush of a limb could either evoke an uncomfortable pause, or stir a non-verbal communication that had them intuitively help the other with the specific task at hand.

The site was spotless when they were finished. Silently, they burned the incense that Mako brought along. They sat on the ground, side by side.

"Did you and Bolin ever light firecrackers for Spring Remembrance?"

"Never had the money."

Korra looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. She didn't care if this was crossing some line in the dirt; she wanted to.

"That was always my favorite part," she smiled; glad he hadn't shied away from the contact. "Even before I could remember what this day was actually about I always knew that my mom and dad would let me light the firecracker with firebending if I was careful."

Mako bowed his head and looped an arm around her.

"How about next year I drop off some firecrackers for you? I'm sure Bolin will be here then for you two to celebrate again."

"Why?"

"Well I figured since…you know with the mover and him out of town I was just a replacement."

"You're never a replacement," he got up and offered her a hand. "I would have done it alone, but there's something special about sharing this with you."

"Now what?" Korra searched his eyes for any hint of what was going on behind his eyes.

"Usually I'd walk back, leave Bolin, and then wander the city."

"Drop me off?"

"No," he reached down and held her hand. "I think I'd like you with me."

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**Author Note:** Spring Remembrance is an actual Chinese holiday called Qingming Festival, but is known by many English names, including Spring Remembrance (my family uses "Tomb Sweeping Day"). When I was in China in 2012, I had the opportunity to participate in the celebration in my ancestral village where we cleaned up, lit incense, and set off firecrackers on my great great great grandfather's gravesite. It was a moment I will truly never forget.


	5. Reminisce

**Rating:** K+

**Word Count:** ~500

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Reminisce." Mako and Korra catch up, and talk about old times.

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"We had some fantastic times didn't we?" Mako grinned. He leaned into the mirror and fiddled with this slightly askew bowtie for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"Leave it alone," Korra smiled and batted his hands away. "And yes, yes we did."

He looked so utterly handsome, his eyes radiant with a love for the life he lead. Although his life started out worse than most, he never gave up. Now look where he was.

The firebender smoothed his tux jacket down. "Do you remember that time before the mover Bolin got that new set of dress clothes that were custom made from the Earth Kingdom?"

"And he fell on his face on his way down the Fire Nation red carpet and ripped his pants," she laughed. 

"And when asked about it, he said it was the new style!" He clutched his stomach and wiped a tear away from his eye.

The two smiled at each other, basking in past memories.

"You look great," he gave her a lopsided grin.

"Oh, thanks!" Korra fiddled with the frills on the dress she didn't pick out. "Same to you," she didn't meet his eyes.

A moment of awkward silence fell over the pair. One would think after years of friendship and closeness that such moments wouldn't occur. But even in the most solid relationships, perfection is impossible. They were just two imperfect people attempting to make their way through life.

"Are you nervous?" Her voice came out more unsure and quiet than she intended.

"Honestly," Mako played with the yellow flower that was pinned to his lapel. "Yeah, I mean this is a really big step and all and I felt really prepared but…"

Korra reached for his hand, and gave him a comforting squeeze. "You're ready. I have no doubts about you. I never did…"

"That means a lot coming from the Avatar," the firebender pulled her into a hug. "But it means more coming from you Korra."

"Now you're gonna be late," she pulled away, a few tears springing to the corners of her eyes. "I was sent up to get you. Do you have the rings?"

Mako checked his bowtie one more time and patted his pocket. "I'm ready."

"Go get her, City Boy. I'll see you in there."

The firebender left the room with a wide smile.

Korra clenched her teeth and swallowed her pride. Today she would stand next to the woman he loved and watch them marry. But somehow, all these years, she grinned and bore the emotional pain of knowing he would never be hers again.

The worst part was that she still loved him. Not an ounce less than when they were together.

At least the Avatar only had one life to live with this pain.

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**Author Note: **You know I had to write a sad one eventually for Makorra Week.


	6. Spirits

**Rating:** T

**Word Count: **~500

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Spirits." Mako promised he would open the bottle when he finally cracked the case.

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"I told myself that I would open it when the case was closed," Mako pulled out a bottle from a locked cabinet.

He held the bottle up so the dim light of his small office in the central police station could allow him to admire the brow liquid he had eyed for so long. It was a fine bottle of whiskey that he spent more than he ever wish he had on a bottle of something that could be consumed then disappear.

"And since you played a big role…well…" he winked at Korra from behind his desk as he tried to work at the stubborn top. "I think it's only fair that I share it with you."

He pulled out a pair of lowball glasses from beneath his desk and placed them on the wooden surface. His face scrunched up in concentration as he struggled with the bottle.

"Let me get that," she placed a hand on the neck of the bottle and stilled his motions. Easily she popped the top. "You loosened it for me," the Avatar joked, earning a smirk and an eye roll from the detective.

Mako poured each small serving. "Sorry I don't have any ice."

"It's fine," Korra reached for her glass and took a small sip. He face contorted in disgust as the malty liquor burned her throat before sending a slight warming sensation to her fingertips. "Not bad."

"You were always a terrible liar," he took a practiced sip. "It's good," he smiled. "Tastes like a closed case."

As much as he hated to admit it, he needed help on the case. The police weren't sufficient to root out the vicious growth that had taken root in the underbelly of the city. The last person he wanted to ask for help was his ex-girlfriend of all people. But eventually his want to finish the job overrode his pride, and the two worked as partners.

Now they were here, enjoying a bottle of a fine spirit like old friends that had no pass transgressions between them.

"Thank you."

"You've thanked me enough," she waved him off and poured herself another two-fingers depth of the drink. Somehow she had managed to swallow the fiery whiskey, each sip increasing her fondness for it twofold. "It's my job."

"It's not your job to help me. Your job is more…higher focused."

"Maybe I like helping you." Her voice came out a mumble, the rim of the slightly dirty glass at her lips.

He stared down at his drink for a moment before gulping down the rest in his glass. This wasn't the best idea; slowly getting completely drunk with the woman he still loved and wanted. But it was what he had for now.

"Cheers?" He raised his glass in the pace between them. "To us?"

Korra paused for a moment. "To us."


	7. Light

**Rating:** K

**Word Count:** ~600

**Summary:** For the Makorra Week prompt "Light." During a summer at the South Pole, Mako discovers the woes of all-day light.

**Author Note:** Hope everyone enjoyed Makorra Week!

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"Spirits Korra!" The bright light coming in from the small window seared his eyes even through his eyelids. "Close the blackout curtain!"

"Sorry!" She wrenched the curtains closed, a bit of light dancing along the edges of the window the fabric fluttering at the edges from the good wrenching they just received.

The curtains closed, the small hut was lit only with a few candles scattered about the room. Even the dim light provided made his eyes ache and his head throb more painfully. Mako's body ached all over, and his very empty stomach churned painfully, still echoing urges to throw up. He knew he looked pathetic curled up on the large cot, wrapped in heavy pelts that helped when the chills appeared, but had him wanting to run outside in his state of undress when his fever overtook.

"You're still burning up," Korra placed a hand on his forehead before pulling out a cool, damp clothing and draping it over his forehead.

"More than usual?" He smiled weakly.

"Yes, more than usual," she looked down at him. Her face was shrouded in shadow from the dim light that came from behind her.

"How did you deal with it?" He mumbled, arms emerging beneath the covers because he was suddenly hot, again.

"With what?"

"The light, _all the time_." Mako cringes.

It's just so inconceivable to him. In Republic City it's light during the day, and mostly dark at night. He only says mostly because of the multitude of streetlights, occupied office buildings, and billboards that filled the squares.

Korra shrugged, "You get used to it I guess. I mean when you grow up with something it's just so…normal."

He would have nodded, but for it to be visible it would hurt his throbbing head far too much.

"But I don't know if you'd ever get used to it," she smiled and refused to meet his gaze. "I guess it would be just as hard as getting used to not having you."

"_Would_ be?" Mako's golden eyes peer at her as he pulled the pelts up further.

"You really didn't think I was over you, right?" She busied herself shuffling through the supplies at the side of the bed.

He couldn't help but feel guilty. After the passing of time and the space he put between them after the breakup she was still here for him. She walled herself off from him. All of their interactions were closer to business transactions than time between friends. But now, if only for a moment he could see the cracks, a bit of light seeping through and revealing her true feelings that still simmered beneath.

Perhaps if he had the courage and lacked a contagious illness he would have kissed her. Pulled her down and thanked her for taking care of him. Instead he feigned drifting off to sleep, his eyes falling shut in a convincing manner.

At some point Mako hoped he would be able to face her and admit how he still loved her and wanted them to be back together. But for now, his body needed rest and sleep began to weigh him down and began to claim him from the eternal summer and light of the South Pole.


End file.
